In this paper, we are concerned with the generalized Boussinesq equation including the singularly sixth-order Boussinesq equation, which describes the bi-directional propagation of small amplitude and long capillary-gravity waves on the surface of shallow water for bond number less than but very close to 1/3. By the means of two proper ansatzs, we obtain explicit traveling solitary wave solutions to the generalized Boussinesq equation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.